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College Football Playoff 2026 NFL Draft prospects to watch in CFP quarterfinals

College Football Playoff 2026 NFL Draft prospects to watch in CFP quarterfinals

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The 2025-26 College Football Playoff quarterfinals are finally here with quarterfinal matchups taking place in the Cotton, Orange, Rose, and Sugar Bowl’s. These games will take place just days before the final weekend of the NFL’s regular season and fans of eliminated teams can officially set their sights towards the 2026 NFL Draft.

We already went over some potential first-round prospects in round one a few weeks back and we’ll do the same for this slate of quarterfinal matchups taking place over the New Year’s holiday. We’ll use the big boards at both Tankathon and NFL Mock Draft Database for reference. Check out our latest 2026 NFL mock draft here.

No. 10 Miami vs. No. 2 Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. ET

Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State (Top 5)

Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami (Top 5)

Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (Top 10)

Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (Top 10)

Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Top 15)

Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State (Top 20)

Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State (Late First Round)

The New Year’s Eve matchup between Miami and Ohio State will be appointment viewing if you’re an NFL Draft nerd as there’s a chance that half of the top 10 could be taking the field at AT&T Stadium. The Buckeyes have multiple players who should hear their names called early and Arvell Reese is a prospect who could potentially go No. 1 overall. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has unleashed the 6’4”, 243-pound monster this season and he’s shot up draft boards by showing off his versatility, racking up 62 combined tackles, 10 TFLs, and 6.5 sacks to earn consensus All-American honors. Former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon has recently compared him to both Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter as an off-ball linebacker that could make an immediate impact upon entry into the league.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 06: Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) rushes into the backfield during the Big 10 Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Indiana Hoosiers on December 6, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Reese could be shortly followed by a pair of potential top-10 prospects in teammates Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate. Downs is a three-time All-American at safety and earned both the Thorpe Award and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors this season as the leader of a Buckeye secondary that shut opponents down. Tate will be the latest product out of the Ohio State wide receiver factory and while he was overshadowed by Jeremiah Smith, he was still a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist in his own right with 838 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the year. Sonny Styles and Kayden McDonald round out OSU’s group of projected first rounders and with this amount of elite talent, you can see why they are currently ranked No. 1 in defensive SP+.

On the Miami side of things, Reuben Bain Jr. could contend with Reese as the top defensive player selected in April after a dominant season where he earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year. We’ve already seen him do damage in these playoffs as he recorded three sacks and a blocked field goal in their 10-3 first-round win over Texas A&M. Meanwhile on offense, Fraincis Mauigoa has a good combination of size and speed at offensive tackle and should be the second o-lineman taken off the board behind Utah’s Spencer Fano.

No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech, 12 p.m. ET

Dante Moore, QB, Oregon (Top 10)

David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech (Top 15)

Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon (Top 20)

Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge, Oregon (Late First/Early Second)

A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon (Late First/Early Second)

Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon (Late First/Early Second)

Oregon buried James Madison as expected in the first round and a handful of their potential first-rounders didn’t even play that much as they were able to turn to their backups pretty early in the contest. Dante Moore did in fact play the whole game and he ended up accounting for 313 passing yards and five total touchdowns on the day with two interceptions being his lone blemishes. Some like The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner are currently projecting the Las Vegas Raiders to take him with the No. 1 overall pick and we’ll certainly be hearing his name a lot as draft season unfolds.

Texas Tech assembled one of the more disruptive defenses in the entire country this season and David Bailey has been a major force for a unit that led the entire nation in takeaways. The 6’3”, 250-pound edge rusher transferred in from Stanford this season and immediately began wrecking games for the Red Raiders, totaling 43 tackles, 13.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles to earn Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year. Analysts like NFL Draft Buzz’s Lennox Tate have lauded Bailey’s explosiveness off the first step and his ability to even drop into coverage, but still feels that he needs to bulk up a bit more when entering the league. A pass-rush needy team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could land him in the 10-15 range, but there’s always room for him to rise.

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 06: Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive end David Bailey (#31) runs up field during the Big 12 Championship Game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and BYU Cougars on December 6, 2025 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 06: Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive end David Bailey (#31) runs up field during the Big 12 Championship Game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and BYU Cougars on December 6, 2025 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana, 4 p.m. ET

Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (Top 5)

Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama (Top 20)

Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama (Late First Round)

The nation will get a look at the Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza on New Year’s Day as he leads Indiana into its first Rose Bowl appearance in 58 years. The QB arrived from Cal via the transfer portal last offseason and made his mark by leading the Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 mark, racking up 2,980 passing yards, 240 rushing yards, and 39 total touchdowns for the year. The Heisman winner was the perfect conductor of Indiana’s offense and that bears out with him ranking in the top 10 in both EPA per dropback and success rate. He has both the poise and grit of an NFL quarterback and has good size at 6’5”, 225 pounds. Like the aforementioned Dante Moore, his name has been bandied about as the potential No. 1 overall pick and he could very well be the most talked about commodity during draft season.

Meanwhile, Alabama will be putting two potential first rounders on the field in Ty Simpson and Kadyn Proctor. We saw both men help lead the Crimson Tide to a 34-24 road win over Oklahoma in the first round, with Simpson throwing for 232 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Alabama will be getting offensive tackle LT Overton back after missing the first round with an illness. Overton is projected as an early second round prospect, but can always boost his stock over the next three months.

No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia, 8 p.m. ET

C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia (Late First Round)

It feels strange to see a lack of first-rounders in a game involving Georgia and C.J. Allen will be the only projected Night 1 selection to be showcased in the Sugar Bowl. The 6’1”, 235-pound linebacker earned consensus All-American status this year with a strong campaign where he tallied 85 combined tackles, eight TFLs, four passes defended, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a partridge in a pear tree. Analysts have praised traits of his like closing speed and tackling technique and some even identified him a draft sleeper before the start of the season. If you’re a fan of one of the current Super Bowl contenders in the NFL, you could be landing Allen’s services at the end of the first rounf.

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The 2026 NFL Draft is just over one week away.

Let’s start getting spicy.

Mark Schofield and James Dator sat down to make their bold predictions for the 2026 NFL Draft, and as you will see, they are not exactly on the same page when it comes to one position in particular.

And where they land might surprise you.

KC Concepcion is the second WR off the board – James

This flies in the face of every draft projection, but the more tape I watch the more I’m convinced that Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion is going to be an absolute stud in the NFL – and I think teams will come to the same conclusion.

Carnell Tate will be the No. 1 receiver off the board without question, but when you hit that second bracket of Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon neither of them are locks to be great pros. Neither has the ideal route fluidity you really want from a future X receiver, nor do they have size that mitigates those shortcomings.

It’s here where Concepcion enters the picture. He doesn’t have X receiver size either, but he is DRIPPING with everything you want from a Y/Z hybrid player. Concepcion has quick feet, amazing ability to shake press defenders, and a knack for finding open space on the field. A team who takes him in the draft will need to understand he slots in best as a secondary option – but that is fine if it means you’re getting an elite second receiver talent, which I think Concepcion can be.

This slots nicely into the draft. The Saints at No. 8 are a team who need a complimentary piece to Chris Olave, Kansas City at No. 9 is a place where he could land too, taking pressure off Rashee Rice – while the Rams at No. 13 could be looking for someone to add to their room (potentially even replace Puka Nacua down the road).

Three offensive-minded coaches run these teams, all need receiving help to varying degrees, and with Tate off the board I think there’s a lot more upside with someone like Concepcion to come in and help immediately, rather than hoping Tyson or Lemon could become primary threats.

Three quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round – James

There’s a pattern that keeps emerging in the NFL Draft: Take the number of QBs you expect to go in the first round, then add one.

In 2025 Jaxson Dart snuck into the first round. In 2024 it was Bo Nix. This year we know Fernando Mendoza is going to go No. 1 overall, and that Ty Simpson could likely be drafted in the 20s – but I think one more guy is going to sneak into the round, and I think it’s going to be Arkansas’ Taylen Green. Hear me out.

Green is undoubtedly a project, but one that isn’t dissimilar in size and athleticism to Anthony Richardson who went No. 5 overall in 2023. That might not be a glowing endorsement, but someone is going to fall in love with the dual-threat upside he brings to the table. If you’re looking at a QB who needs some seasoning before being ready to play then it’s absolutely imperative you get the guy in the first round to secure the 5th year option.

This is why I think either the Jets or Cardinals could get froggy and move up from the top of the 2nd round to the end of the 1st and take someone like Green. There’s also a possibility they like someone like Carson Beck for the same reasons the Saints like Tyler Shough a year ago, in that they think he can help them win immediately. At this point though I see the upside of Green as as 6’6 QB with a 4.36 in the forty.

Want a wild card? Todd Monken is the new coach of the Browns and his entire offense in Baltimore was predicated around a dual threat QB. I don’t care that they took Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders a year ago, they can’t do what Green does.

There’s just this nagging feeling in the back of my head that the athleticism is going to make someone fall in love.

Jacob Rodriguez goes in the first round – Mark

Before diving into my two bold predictions, I want to start with this little tidbit:

Food for thought, indeed.

I think there are three factors at play here. First, the lack of elite talent in this quarterback class. James is right in that we might still see some quarterbacks move up boards, but I’m still not sure that we see that many come off the board in the first round. We might see players slide up to Day 2 from Day 3, or to Day 3 from being priority UDFA-type players, but I’m not sure we see a ton of movement into the first round. Maybe I’m wronte.

Second, the expectations around the 2027 QB class are starting to take hold. Albert Breer wrote this earlier this week:

The 2027 class affects that, too. The list is long: Oregon’s Dante Moore, Texas’s Arch Manning, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, USC’s Jayden Maiava, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby, Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, Oklahoma’s John Mateer, Miami’s Darian Mensah and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava.

You get the picture. Throw in dark-horse transfers such as DJ Lagway at Baylor and Drew Mestemaker at Oklahoma State, and you have 14 quarterbacks who at least have a chance of being taken high in 2027.

I really think teams are going to kick the QB decision to next spring.

The final factor? The strength in this class comes from positions like safety, offensive and defensive lines and yes, linebacker.

That leads me to Jacob Rodriguez.

The NFL does seem to be coming back around to the running game. Maybe not to a massive extent, but look at the Seattle Seahawks last season, and look at this from Yahoo analyst Nate Tice:

Defending the run might matter again.

That leads us to Rodriguez, who parlayed a stunning season into Heisman Trophy buzz a year ago, where he ultimately finished fifth in voting, one of the highest finishes from a pure defensive player in history.

His draft stock has slowly increased even since the end of the season, thanks to a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. If positional value is truly out the window this year, his production at the college level will push him into the first round.

More safeties than quarterback go in the first — Mark

As a card-carrying member of the quarterback union, I might get kicked out after this one.

While my dear friend James thinks three quarterbacks go into the first round, I remain unconvinced. I think at most we see Fernando Mendoza at 1, and Ty Simpson at some point late on Thursday night, perhapse to the Arizona Cardinals via a trade back into the first round.

Assuming two quarterbacks go in the first round, I think we see three safeties come off the board.

First is Caleb Downs, who was one of my favorite players to study this entire cycle. His profile fits as more of a box safety in the NFL — which is the only reason stopping me from having him at the top of our soon-to-be-released big board — but I think he comes off the board inside the top five.

I think Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman comes off the board next, either to Minnesota at 18 or Carolina at 19.

Then there are the New England Patriots, who could be a landing spot for Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, as could be the Chicago Bears.

In all, I think we see two quarterbacks in the first, and three safeties.

#NFL #Draft #bold #predictions #class #QBs #sleepers">4 NFL Draft bold predictions for 2026 class on QBs, sleepers, and more The 2026 NFL Draft is just over one week away.Let’s start getting spicy.Mark Schofield and James Dator sat down to make their bold predictions for the 2026 NFL Draft, and as you will see, they are not exactly on the same page when it comes to one position in particular.And where they land might surprise you.KC Concepcion is the second WR off the board – JamesThis flies in the face of every draft projection, but the more tape I watch the more I’m convinced that Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion is going to be an absolute stud in the NFL – and I think teams will come to the same conclusion.Carnell Tate will be the No. 1 receiver off the board without question, but when you hit that second bracket of Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon neither of them are locks to be great pros. Neither has the ideal route fluidity you really want from a future X receiver, nor do they have size that mitigates those shortcomings.It’s here where Concepcion enters the picture. He doesn’t have X receiver size either, but he is DRIPPING with everything you want from a Y/Z hybrid player. Concepcion has quick feet, amazing ability to shake press defenders, and a knack for finding open space on the field. A team who takes him in the draft will need to understand he slots in best as a secondary option – but that is fine if it means you’re getting an elite second receiver talent, which I think Concepcion can be.This slots nicely into the draft. The Saints at No. 8 are a team who need a complimentary piece to Chris Olave, Kansas City at No. 9 is a place where he could land too, taking pressure off Rashee Rice – while the Rams at No. 13 could be looking for someone to add to their room (potentially even replace Puka Nacua down the road).Three offensive-minded coaches run these teams, all need receiving help to varying degrees, and with Tate off the board I think there’s a lot more upside with someone like Concepcion to come in and help immediately, rather than hoping Tyson or Lemon could become primary threats.Three quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round – JamesThere’s a pattern that keeps emerging in the NFL Draft: Take the number of QBs you expect to go in the first round, then add one.In 2025 Jaxson Dart snuck into the first round. In 2024 it was Bo Nix. This year we know Fernando Mendoza is going to go No. 1 overall, and that Ty Simpson could likely be drafted in the 20s – but I think one more guy is going to sneak into the round, and I think it’s going to be Arkansas’ Taylen Green. Hear me out.Green is undoubtedly a project, but one that isn’t dissimilar in size and athleticism to Anthony Richardson who went No. 5 overall in 2023. That might not be a glowing endorsement, but someone is going to fall in love with the dual-threat upside he brings to the table. If you’re looking at a QB who needs some seasoning before being ready to play then it’s absolutely imperative you get the guy in the first round to secure the 5th year option.This is why I think either the Jets or Cardinals could get froggy and move up from the top of the 2nd round to the end of the 1st and take someone like Green. There’s also a possibility they like someone like Carson Beck for the same reasons the Saints like Tyler Shough a year ago, in that they think he can help them win immediately. At this point though I see the upside of Green as as 6’6 QB with a 4.36 in the forty.Want a wild card? Todd Monken is the new coach of the Browns and his entire offense in Baltimore was predicated around a dual threat QB. I don’t care that they took Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders a year ago, they can’t do what Green does.There’s just this nagging feeling in the back of my head that the athleticism is going to make someone fall in love.Jacob Rodriguez goes in the first round – MarkBefore diving into my two bold predictions, I want to start with this little tidbit:Food for thought, indeed.I think there are three factors at play here. First, the lack of elite talent in this quarterback class. James is right in that we might still see some quarterbacks move up boards, but I’m still not sure that we see that many come off the board in the first round. We might see players slide up to Day 2 from Day 3, or to Day 3 from being priority UDFA-type players, but I’m not sure we see a ton of movement into the first round. Maybe I’m wronte.Second, the expectations around the 2027 QB class are starting to take hold. Albert Breer wrote this earlier this week:The 2027 class affects that, too. The list is long: Oregon’s Dante Moore, Texas’s Arch Manning, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, USC’s Jayden Maiava, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby, Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, Oklahoma’s John Mateer, Miami’s Darian Mensah and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava.You get the picture. Throw in dark-horse transfers such as DJ Lagway at Baylor and Drew Mestemaker at Oklahoma State, and you have 14 quarterbacks who at least have a chance of being taken high in 2027.I really think teams are going to kick the QB decision to next spring.The final factor? The strength in this class comes from positions like safety, offensive and defensive lines and yes, linebacker.That leads me to Jacob Rodriguez.The NFL does seem to be coming back around to the running game. Maybe not to a massive extent, but look at the Seattle Seahawks last season, and look at this from Yahoo analyst Nate Tice:Defending the run might matter again.That leads us to Rodriguez, who parlayed a stunning season into Heisman Trophy buzz a year ago, where he ultimately finished fifth in voting, one of the highest finishes from a pure defensive player in history.His draft stock has slowly increased even since the end of the season, thanks to a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. If positional value is truly out the window this year, his production at the college level will push him into the first round.More safeties than quarterback go in the first — MarkAs a card-carrying member of the quarterback union, I might get kicked out after this one.While my dear friend James thinks three quarterbacks go into the first round, I remain unconvinced. I think at most we see Fernando Mendoza at 1, and Ty Simpson at some point late on Thursday night, perhapse to the Arizona Cardinals via a trade back into the first round.Assuming two quarterbacks go in the first round, I think we see three safeties come off the board.First is Caleb Downs, who was one of my favorite players to study this entire cycle. His profile fits as more of a box safety in the NFL — which is the only reason stopping me from having him at the top of our soon-to-be-released big board — but I think he comes off the board inside the top five.I think Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman comes off the board next, either to Minnesota at 18 or Carolina at 19.Then there are the New England Patriots, who could be a landing spot for Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, as could be the Chicago Bears.In all, I think we see two quarterbacks in the first, and three safeties. #NFL #Draft #bold #predictions #class #QBs #sleepers

convinced that Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion is going to be an absolute stud in the NFL – and I think teams will come to the same conclusion.

Carnell Tate will be the No. 1 receiver off the board without question, but when you hit that second bracket of Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon neither of them are locks to be great pros. Neither has the ideal route fluidity you really want from a future X receiver, nor do they have size that mitigates those shortcomings.

It’s here where Concepcion enters the picture. He doesn’t have X receiver size either, but he is DRIPPING with everything you want from a Y/Z hybrid player. Concepcion has quick feet, amazing ability to shake press defenders, and a knack for finding open space on the field. A team who takes him in the draft will need to understand he slots in best as a secondary option – but that is fine if it means you’re getting an elite second receiver talent, which I think Concepcion can be.

This slots nicely into the draft. The Saints at No. 8 are a team who need a complimentary piece to Chris Olave, Kansas City at No. 9 is a place where he could land too, taking pressure off Rashee Rice – while the Rams at No. 13 could be looking for someone to add to their room (potentially even replace Puka Nacua down the road).

Three offensive-minded coaches run these teams, all need receiving help to varying degrees, and with Tate off the board I think there’s a lot more upside with someone like Concepcion to come in and help immediately, rather than hoping Tyson or Lemon could become primary threats.

Three quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round – James

There’s a pattern that keeps emerging in the NFL Draft: Take the number of QBs you expect to go in the first round, then add one.

In 2025 Jaxson Dart snuck into the first round. In 2024 it was Bo Nix. This year we know Fernando Mendoza is going to go No. 1 overall, and that Ty Simpson could likely be drafted in the 20s – but I think one more guy is going to sneak into the round, and I think it’s going to be Arkansas’ Taylen Green. Hear me out.

Green is undoubtedly a project, but one that isn’t dissimilar in size and athleticism to Anthony Richardson who went No. 5 overall in 2023. That might not be a glowing endorsement, but someone is going to fall in love with the dual-threat upside he brings to the table. If you’re looking at a QB who needs some seasoning before being ready to play then it’s absolutely imperative you get the guy in the first round to secure the 5th year option.

This is why I think either the Jets or Cardinals could get froggy and move up from the top of the 2nd round to the end of the 1st and take someone like Green. There’s also a possibility they like someone like Carson Beck for the same reasons the Saints like Tyler Shough a year ago, in that they think he can help them win immediately. At this point though I see the upside of Green as as 6’6 QB with a 4.36 in the forty.

Want a wild card? Todd Monken is the new coach of the Browns and his entire offense in Baltimore was predicated around a dual threat QB. I don’t care that they took Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders a year ago, they can’t do what Green does.

There’s just this nagging feeling in the back of my head that the athleticism is going to make someone fall in love.

Jacob Rodriguez goes in the first round – Mark

Before diving into my two bold predictions, I want to start with this little tidbit:

Food for thought, indeed.

I think there are three factors at play here. First, the lack of elite talent in this quarterback class. James is right in that we might still see some quarterbacks move up boards, but I’m still not sure that we see that many come off the board in the first round. We might see players slide up to Day 2 from Day 3, or to Day 3 from being priority UDFA-type players, but I’m not sure we see a ton of movement into the first round. Maybe I’m wronte.

Second, the expectations around the 2027 QB class are starting to take hold. Albert Breer wrote this earlier this week:

The 2027 class affects that, too. The list is long: Oregon’s Dante Moore, Texas’s Arch Manning, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, USC’s Jayden Maiava, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby, Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, Oklahoma’s John Mateer, Miami’s Darian Mensah and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava.

You get the picture. Throw in dark-horse transfers such as DJ Lagway at Baylor and Drew Mestemaker at Oklahoma State, and you have 14 quarterbacks who at least have a chance of being taken high in 2027.

I really think teams are going to kick the QB decision to next spring.

The final factor? The strength in this class comes from positions like safety, offensive and defensive lines and yes, linebacker.

That leads me to Jacob Rodriguez.

The NFL does seem to be coming back around to the running game. Maybe not to a massive extent, but look at the Seattle Seahawks last season, and look at this from Yahoo analyst Nate Tice:

Defending the run might matter again.

That leads us to Rodriguez, who parlayed a stunning season into Heisman Trophy buzz a year ago, where he ultimately finished fifth in voting, one of the highest finishes from a pure defensive player in history.

His draft stock has slowly increased even since the end of the season, thanks to a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. If positional value is truly out the window this year, his production at the college level will push him into the first round.

More safeties than quarterback go in the first — Mark

As a card-carrying member of the quarterback union, I might get kicked out after this one.

While my dear friend James thinks three quarterbacks go into the first round, I remain unconvinced. I think at most we see Fernando Mendoza at 1, and Ty Simpson at some point late on Thursday night, perhapse to the Arizona Cardinals via a trade back into the first round.

Assuming two quarterbacks go in the first round, I think we see three safeties come off the board.

First is Caleb Downs, who was one of my favorite players to study this entire cycle. His profile fits as more of a box safety in the NFL — which is the only reason stopping me from having him at the top of our soon-to-be-released big board — but I think he comes off the board inside the top five.

I think Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman comes off the board next, either to Minnesota at 18 or Carolina at 19.

Then there are the New England Patriots, who could be a landing spot for Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, as could be the Chicago Bears.

In all, I think we see two quarterbacks in the first, and three safeties.

#NFL #Draft #bold #predictions #class #QBs #sleepers">4 NFL Draft bold predictions for 2026 class on QBs, sleepers, and more

The 2026 NFL Draft is just over one week away.

Let’s start getting spicy.

Mark Schofield and James Dator sat down to make their bold predictions for the 2026 NFL Draft, and as you will see, they are not exactly on the same page when it comes to one position in particular.

And where they land might surprise you.

KC Concepcion is the second WR off the board – James

This flies in the face of every draft projection, but the more tape I watch the more I’m convinced that Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion is going to be an absolute stud in the NFL – and I think teams will come to the same conclusion.

Carnell Tate will be the No. 1 receiver off the board without question, but when you hit that second bracket of Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon neither of them are locks to be great pros. Neither has the ideal route fluidity you really want from a future X receiver, nor do they have size that mitigates those shortcomings.

It’s here where Concepcion enters the picture. He doesn’t have X receiver size either, but he is DRIPPING with everything you want from a Y/Z hybrid player. Concepcion has quick feet, amazing ability to shake press defenders, and a knack for finding open space on the field. A team who takes him in the draft will need to understand he slots in best as a secondary option – but that is fine if it means you’re getting an elite second receiver talent, which I think Concepcion can be.

This slots nicely into the draft. The Saints at No. 8 are a team who need a complimentary piece to Chris Olave, Kansas City at No. 9 is a place where he could land too, taking pressure off Rashee Rice – while the Rams at No. 13 could be looking for someone to add to their room (potentially even replace Puka Nacua down the road).

Three offensive-minded coaches run these teams, all need receiving help to varying degrees, and with Tate off the board I think there’s a lot more upside with someone like Concepcion to come in and help immediately, rather than hoping Tyson or Lemon could become primary threats.

Three quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round – James

There’s a pattern that keeps emerging in the NFL Draft: Take the number of QBs you expect to go in the first round, then add one.

In 2025 Jaxson Dart snuck into the first round. In 2024 it was Bo Nix. This year we know Fernando Mendoza is going to go No. 1 overall, and that Ty Simpson could likely be drafted in the 20s – but I think one more guy is going to sneak into the round, and I think it’s going to be Arkansas’ Taylen Green. Hear me out.

Green is undoubtedly a project, but one that isn’t dissimilar in size and athleticism to Anthony Richardson who went No. 5 overall in 2023. That might not be a glowing endorsement, but someone is going to fall in love with the dual-threat upside he brings to the table. If you’re looking at a QB who needs some seasoning before being ready to play then it’s absolutely imperative you get the guy in the first round to secure the 5th year option.

This is why I think either the Jets or Cardinals could get froggy and move up from the top of the 2nd round to the end of the 1st and take someone like Green. There’s also a possibility they like someone like Carson Beck for the same reasons the Saints like Tyler Shough a year ago, in that they think he can help them win immediately. At this point though I see the upside of Green as as 6’6 QB with a 4.36 in the forty.

Want a wild card? Todd Monken is the new coach of the Browns and his entire offense in Baltimore was predicated around a dual threat QB. I don’t care that they took Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders a year ago, they can’t do what Green does.

There’s just this nagging feeling in the back of my head that the athleticism is going to make someone fall in love.

Jacob Rodriguez goes in the first round – Mark

Before diving into my two bold predictions, I want to start with this little tidbit:

Food for thought, indeed.

I think there are three factors at play here. First, the lack of elite talent in this quarterback class. James is right in that we might still see some quarterbacks move up boards, but I’m still not sure that we see that many come off the board in the first round. We might see players slide up to Day 2 from Day 3, or to Day 3 from being priority UDFA-type players, but I’m not sure we see a ton of movement into the first round. Maybe I’m wronte.

Second, the expectations around the 2027 QB class are starting to take hold. Albert Breer wrote this earlier this week:

The 2027 class affects that, too. The list is long: Oregon’s Dante Moore, Texas’s Arch Manning, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, USC’s Jayden Maiava, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby, Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, Oklahoma’s John Mateer, Miami’s Darian Mensah and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava.

You get the picture. Throw in dark-horse transfers such as DJ Lagway at Baylor and Drew Mestemaker at Oklahoma State, and you have 14 quarterbacks who at least have a chance of being taken high in 2027.

I really think teams are going to kick the QB decision to next spring.

The final factor? The strength in this class comes from positions like safety, offensive and defensive lines and yes, linebacker.

That leads me to Jacob Rodriguez.

The NFL does seem to be coming back around to the running game. Maybe not to a massive extent, but look at the Seattle Seahawks last season, and look at this from Yahoo analyst Nate Tice:

Defending the run might matter again.

That leads us to Rodriguez, who parlayed a stunning season into Heisman Trophy buzz a year ago, where he ultimately finished fifth in voting, one of the highest finishes from a pure defensive player in history.

His draft stock has slowly increased even since the end of the season, thanks to a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. If positional value is truly out the window this year, his production at the college level will push him into the first round.

More safeties than quarterback go in the first — Mark

As a card-carrying member of the quarterback union, I might get kicked out after this one.

While my dear friend James thinks three quarterbacks go into the first round, I remain unconvinced. I think at most we see Fernando Mendoza at 1, and Ty Simpson at some point late on Thursday night, perhapse to the Arizona Cardinals via a trade back into the first round.

Assuming two quarterbacks go in the first round, I think we see three safeties come off the board.

First is Caleb Downs, who was one of my favorite players to study this entire cycle. His profile fits as more of a box safety in the NFL — which is the only reason stopping me from having him at the top of our soon-to-be-released big board — but I think he comes off the board inside the top five.

I think Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman comes off the board next, either to Minnesota at 18 or Carolina at 19.

Then there are the New England Patriots, who could be a landing spot for Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, as could be the Chicago Bears.

In all, I think we see two quarterbacks in the first, and three safeties.

#NFL #Draft #bold #predictions #class #QBs #sleepers

The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) on Thursday declared that doping was a big problem in India and that it would be working closely and monitoring the country’s anti-doping process and systems in the coming months.

WADA president Witold Banka and director of intelligence and investigations Günter Younger, addressing select media in New Delhi, admitted as much after the final conference of the expansion phase of its Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) in Asia and Oceania.

The one-day meeting brought together representatives of law enforcement agencies and National Anti-Doping Organisations from 23 countries in Europe and 45 countries across the Asia/Oceania region besides INTERPOL and EUROPOL.

“Operation Upstream is a global operation across continents but there is no doubt that the biggest producer of illegal and performance enhancing drugs, illegal steroids is in India. Of course, there’s no doubt that we have a problem with doping in India. This is an ongoing, confidential operation but there are no doubts that there is a big problem here,” Banka said.

While appreciating the support from various Indian agencies, Banka nevertheless made it clear that compliance with WADA rules and cleaning up the house was non-negotiable to India’s hopes of hosting major sporting events.

“There is understanding of the problem here, no one is blind on the problem. I was very honest and very clear that we, as WADA, expect stronger engagement and commitment. Our expectation is to see how NADA applies the rules, how strong is the system, how the investigation looks like, to assess the educational actions and programmes. India is very ambitious when it comes to organising sporting events, it will not be possible without strong anti-doping policy,” he added.

He also agreed that there was a need to revise the code to make coaches and doctors more accountable and punishable without putting the onus completely on the athlete, something sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya hinted at during his address in the morning.

“The government is working towards introducing criminal provisions against those involved in administering or trafficking prohibited substances. While earlier efforts were largely confined to laboratory testing protocols and athlete compliance, doping today is an organised multinational enterprise, underscoring the need for coordinated global response,” Mandaviya said.

Banka also revealed that he had visited the National Dope Testing laboratory – with NADA Director General Anant Kumar saying there were plans to set up more labs — and that there would be a virtual audit regarding the results and management of the decision results and management process in the coming weeks. “There’s room for improvement and we see the need to accelerate in many areas like testing, I&I and verification. We will monitor the efforts as well,” Banka said.

Published on Apr 16, 2026

#WADA #admits #doping #concerns #India #close #monitoring #process">WADA admits to doping concerns in India, indicates close monitoring of process The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) on Thursday declared that doping was a big problem in India and that it would be working closely and monitoring the country’s anti-doping process and systems in the coming months.WADA president Witold Banka and director of intelligence and investigations Günter Younger, addressing select media in New Delhi, admitted as much after the final conference of the expansion phase of its Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) in Asia and Oceania.The one-day meeting brought together representatives of law enforcement agencies and National Anti-Doping Organisations from 23 countries in Europe and 45 countries across the Asia/Oceania region besides INTERPOL and EUROPOL.“Operation Upstream is a global operation across continents but there is no doubt that the biggest producer of illegal and performance enhancing drugs, illegal steroids is in India. Of course, there’s no doubt that we have a problem with doping in India. This is an ongoing, confidential operation but there are no doubts that there is a big problem here,” Banka said.While appreciating the support from various Indian agencies, Banka nevertheless made it clear that compliance with WADA rules and cleaning up the house was non-negotiable to India’s hopes of hosting major sporting events.“There is understanding of the problem here, no one is blind on the problem. I was very honest and very clear that we, as WADA, expect stronger engagement and commitment. Our expectation is to see how NADA applies the rules, how strong is the system, how the investigation looks like, to assess the educational actions and programmes. India is very ambitious when it comes to organising sporting events, it will not be possible without strong anti-doping policy,” he added.He also agreed that there was a need to revise the code to make coaches and doctors more accountable and punishable without putting the onus completely on the athlete, something sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya hinted at during his address in the morning.“The government is working towards introducing criminal provisions against those involved in administering or trafficking prohibited substances. While earlier efforts were largely confined to laboratory testing protocols and athlete compliance, doping today is an organised multinational enterprise, underscoring the need for coordinated global response,” Mandaviya said.Banka also revealed that he had visited the National Dope Testing laboratory – with NADA Director General Anant Kumar saying there were plans to set up more labs — and that there would be a virtual audit regarding the results and management of the decision results and management process in the coming weeks. “There’s room for improvement and we see the need to accelerate in many areas like testing, I&I and verification. We will monitor the efforts as well,” Banka said.Published on Apr 16, 2026 #WADA #admits #doping #concerns #India #close #monitoring #process

Deadspin | MLB roundup: Padres score 5 in 9th to edge Mariners, extend win streak to 7 Apr 15, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France, left, dumps a cooler over center fielder Jackson Merrill after he hit a walk-off double during the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. All MLB players are wearing number 42 today to honor Jackie Robinson. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Jackson Merrill’s two-run double capped a five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday night as the San Diego Padres stretched their winning streak to seven games with a wild 7-6 win over the visiting Seattle Mariners. Merrill lined a 2-2 fastball from reliever Jose A. Ferrer down the left field line. Luis Campusano scored the tying run and Ramon Laureano plated the winning run when Randy Arozarena wasn’t able to make a throw home as the ball slipped out of his hand. The hit made a winner of Alek Jacob (1-0), who tossed two scoreless innings in his first major league outing of the year after being called up on Tuesday from Triple-A El Paso. Mariners closer Andres Munoz (2-2) was charged with all five runs in the ninth. Luke Raley had a four-hit game that included a two-run homer. Dodgers 8, Mets 2 Shohei Ohtani struck out 10 in six innings, Dalton Rushing hit a grand slam and Los Angeles pulled off a series sweep with a victory over visiting New York, sending the Mets to their eighth consecutive loss. Hyeseong Kim, Teoscar Hernandez and Kyle Tucker also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who improved to 10-2 since April 3 and 14-4 on the season. Ohtani (2-0) gave up one run, two hits and two walks on a rare pitching outing when he was not also used as a hitter. It was the first time Ohtani did not hit on the same day he pitched since May 2021 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. MJ Melendez had two doubles with an RBI and Clay Holmes (2-2) gave up two runs over five innings for the Mets, who were held to three runs in the three-game series. Francisco Lindor, Luis Robert Jr. and Brett Baty each went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts at the top of the New York order. Yankees 5, Angels 4 Jose Caballero hit a game-ending two-run double with one out in the ninth inning as New York earned a victory over visiting Los Angeles. The Yankees won for the second time in eight games after losing an early 3-0 lead built on an Aaron Judge homer and a two-run single from Trent Grisham. David Bednar (1-2) threw one scoreless inning for the win. Mike Trout hit a two-run homer and Logan O’Hoppe and Adam Frazier added solo shots for the Angels. Trout became the first visiting player to homer in three straight days at Yankee Stadium since Miguel Cabrera did so nearly 13 years ago. Jordan Romano (0-2) allowed the ninth-inning runs. Diamondbacks 8, Orioles 5 (10 innings) Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing, as Arizona won at Baltimore. Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice. Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles. Starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Pirates 2, Nationals 0 Carmen Mlodzinski pitched six shutout innings and led the host Pittsburgh to a three-hit shutout in a victory over Washington. Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales each had RBI singles in the first inning. Mlodzinski (1-0) struck out five, walked two and gave up only two hits. Dennis Santana handled the ninth inning for his second save. Nationals starter Jake Irvin (1-2) went five innings and gave up two runs on four hits. Cardinals 5, Guardians 3 Dustin May tossed six strong innings, and Alec Burleson drove in two runs, fueling St. Louis to a victory over visiting Cleveland. May (2-2) allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts for St. Louis, which won the rubber match of the series. Nathan Church went 3-for-4 with an RBI double. Bo Naylor drove in two runs for the Guardians, who lost for the fourth time in six games. Starter Slade Cecconi allowed one run on three hits in four innings. Connor Brogdon (2-2) relieved Cecconi and surrendered three runs on two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Red Sox 9, Twins 5 Trevor Story hit a three-run home run and drove in five runs to help Boston avoid a three-game sweep with a win over Minnesota. Boston starter Connelly Early (1-0) earned the win for holding the Twins to one run on two hits in six innings; he struck out five and walked two. Andruw Monasterio collected three hits for the Red Sox. Roman Anthony and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each had two hits in the win. Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson (0-3) allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in five innings. Austin Martin and Ryan Kreidler homered for Minnesota, which outscored Boston 19-6 in the first two games of the series. Reds 8, Giants 3 Sal Stewart slugged a pair of three-run homers, Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz each hit solo shots, and Cincinnati beat San Francisco at home. Stewart went deep for the second straight night and has seven homers to lead all rookies. Suarez went 3-for-4, and Spencer Steer had a pair of singles for Cincinnati, which has won three of its last four games. Daniel Susac doubled in two runs and had two hits for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight. Starter Tyler Mahle allowed eight runs and eight hits with five walks over four innings against his former team. Cubs 11, Phillies 2 Nico Hoerner had a career-high five RBIs, and Shota Imanaga matched a personal best with 11 strikeouts, lifting Chicago to a victory over Philadelphia. The Cubs finished with 15 hits to win the decisive contest of the three-game series and record a second straight victory for just the second time this season. Matt Shaw ripped a two-run double, and Dansby Swanson launched a solo homer to highlight their respective three-hit performances. The power surge was more than enough for Imanaga (1-1), who overcame a leadoff homer by Trea Turner to shut down the Phillies. The left-hander allowed one run on three hits and one walk before exiting after six innings. Bryce Harper added a solo shot in the ninth inning for Philadelphia. Brewers 2, Blue Jays 1 Chad Patrick and three relievers combined on a five-hitter, and Milwaukee rallied with two runs in the eighth inning to snap a six-game losing streak. Toronto starter Dylan Cease was dominant, allowing two hits over six scoreless innings, striking out six and walking three in a 106-pitch outing. The Blue Jays took an early lead on a sacrifice fly by Jesus Sanchez to score Daulton Varsho. The Brewers broke through for two runs in the eighth against right-hander Tyler Rogers (1-1). William Contreras delivered an RBI single, and Brice Turang’s groundout scored Sal Frelick. Tigers 2, Royals 1 Wenceel Perez hit a go-ahead eighth-inning home run and host Detroit extended its winning streak to five games with a victory over Kansas City. Perez’s first homer of the season made a winner of reliever Kyle Finnegan (1-0), who tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Jake Rogers drove in the other run for the Tigers. Gleyber Torres had a three-hit game. Kyle Isbel’s RBI single accounted for the lone Royals run. Kansas City has scored two or fewer runs in 11 games this season. Braves 6, Marlins 3 Bryce Elder threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Atlanta backed him up with three home runs to defeat visiting Miami in the decisive game of a three-game series. Elder (2-1) allowed four hits and two walks and struck out seven. The Braves got solo home runs from Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley plus a two-run shot from Matt Olson. Raisel Iglesias struck out three while working a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save. Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer for the Marlins. Chris Paddack (0-3) threw 4 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits. Rays 8, White Sox 3 Junior Caminero, Jake Fraley and Jonny DeLuca homered to back five shutout innings from Jesse Scholtens and boost visiting Tampa Bay to a victory against Chicago. The Rays stretched their winning streak to five games while sending the White Sox to their fourth loss in the past five. Scholtens (1-0) permitted one hit in a bulk-relief role. Reese McGuire, who spent the first eight innings at catcher for Chicago, pitched a perfect ninth inning. He also went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sean Burke (0-2) yielded four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Athletics 6, Rangers 5 Shea Langeliers smashed a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth inning and Jacob Wilson hit a two-run shot one inning later to help the Athletics edge Texas in West Sacramento, Calif. Tyler Soderstrom had an RBI double while reaching base three times and Denzel Clarke added a run-scoring single as the A’s won for the seventh time in eight games. Joel Kuhnel retired four straight hitters to register his third save of the season. Jake Burger hit a three-run blast and Corey Seager belted a two-run homer for the Rangers, who lost for the second straight night after winning the opener of a four-game series. Astros 3, Rockies 1 Spencer Arrighetti struck out 10 batters in his season debut and Yordan Alvarez slugged his seventh home run, as Houston claimed an interleague series victory against visiting Colorado. Elevated to the taxi squad on Tuesday, Arrighetti (1-0) became the second starter to debut for the Astros in as many days. With Houston down three injured starters, Arrighetti followed Colton Gordon and joined the makeshift rotation after starting the season with Triple-A Sugar Land. Rockies left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1) allowed three runs on three hits and four walks with one strikeout over 3 2/3 innings. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Padres #score #9th #edge #Mariners #extend #win #streakApr 15, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France, left, dumps a cooler over center fielder Jackson Merrill after he hit a walk-off double during the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. All MLB players are wearing number 42 today to honor Jackie Robinson. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Jackson Merrill’s two-run double capped a five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday night as the San Diego Padres stretched their winning streak to seven games with a wild 7-6 win over the visiting Seattle Mariners.

Merrill lined a 2-2 fastball from reliever Jose A. Ferrer down the left field line. Luis Campusano scored the tying run and Ramon Laureano plated the winning run when Randy Arozarena wasn’t able to make a throw home as the ball slipped out of his hand.

The hit made a winner of Alek Jacob (1-0), who tossed two scoreless innings in his first major league outing of the year after being called up on Tuesday from Triple-A El Paso.

Mariners closer Andres Munoz (2-2) was charged with all five runs in the ninth. Luke Raley had a four-hit game that included a two-run homer.

Dodgers 8, Mets 2

Shohei Ohtani struck out 10 in six innings, Dalton Rushing hit a grand slam and Los Angeles pulled off a series sweep with a victory over visiting New York, sending the Mets to their eighth consecutive loss.

Hyeseong Kim, Teoscar Hernandez and Kyle Tucker also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who improved to 10-2 since April 3 and 14-4 on the season. Ohtani (2-0) gave up one run, two hits and two walks on a rare pitching outing when he was not also used as a hitter. It was the first time Ohtani did not hit on the same day he pitched since May 2021 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.

MJ Melendez had two doubles with an RBI and Clay Holmes (2-2) gave up two runs over five innings for the Mets, who were held to three runs in the three-game series. Francisco Lindor, Luis Robert Jr. and Brett Baty each went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts at the top of the New York order.

Yankees 5, Angels 4

Jose Caballero hit a game-ending two-run double with one out in the ninth inning as New York earned a victory over visiting Los Angeles.

The Yankees won for the second time in eight games after losing an early 3-0 lead built on an Aaron Judge homer and a two-run single from Trent Grisham. David Bednar (1-2) threw one scoreless inning for the win.

Mike Trout hit a two-run homer and Logan O’Hoppe and Adam Frazier added solo shots for the Angels. Trout became the first visiting player to homer in three straight days at Yankee Stadium since Miguel Cabrera did so nearly 13 years ago. Jordan Romano (0-2) allowed the ninth-inning runs.

Diamondbacks 8, Orioles 5 (10 innings)

Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing, as Arizona won at Baltimore.

Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice.

Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles. Starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season.

Pirates 2, Nationals 0

Carmen Mlodzinski pitched six shutout innings and led the host Pittsburgh to a three-hit shutout in a victory over Washington.

Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales each had RBI singles in the first inning. Mlodzinski (1-0) struck out five, walked two and gave up only two hits. Dennis Santana handled the ninth inning for his second save.

Nationals starter Jake Irvin (1-2) went five innings and gave up two runs on four hits.

Cardinals 5, Guardians 3

Dustin May tossed six strong innings, and Alec Burleson drove in two runs, fueling St. Louis to a victory over visiting Cleveland.

May (2-2) allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts for St. Louis, which won the rubber match of the series. Nathan Church went 3-for-4 with an RBI double.

Bo Naylor drove in two runs for the Guardians, who lost for the fourth time in six games. Starter Slade Cecconi allowed one run on three hits in four innings. Connor Brogdon (2-2) relieved Cecconi and surrendered three runs on two hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Red Sox 9, Twins 5

Trevor Story hit a three-run home run and drove in five runs to help Boston avoid a three-game sweep with a win over Minnesota.

Boston starter Connelly Early (1-0) earned the win for holding the Twins to one run on two hits in six innings; he struck out five and walked two. Andruw Monasterio collected three hits for the Red Sox. Roman Anthony and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each had two hits in the win.

Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson (0-3) allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in five innings. Austin Martin and Ryan Kreidler homered for Minnesota, which outscored Boston 19-6 in the first two games of the series.

Reds 8, Giants 3

Sal Stewart slugged a pair of three-run homers, Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz each hit solo shots, and Cincinnati beat San Francisco at home.


Stewart went deep for the second straight night and has seven homers to lead all rookies. Suarez went 3-for-4, and Spencer Steer had a pair of singles for Cincinnati, which has won three of its last four games.

Daniel Susac doubled in two runs and had two hits for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight. Starter Tyler Mahle allowed eight runs and eight hits with five walks over four innings against his former team.

Cubs 11, Phillies 2

Nico Hoerner had a career-high five RBIs, and Shota Imanaga matched a personal best with 11 strikeouts, lifting Chicago to a victory over Philadelphia.

The Cubs finished with 15 hits to win the decisive contest of the three-game series and record a second straight victory for just the second time this season. Matt Shaw ripped a two-run double, and Dansby Swanson launched a solo homer to highlight their respective three-hit performances.

The power surge was more than enough for Imanaga (1-1), who overcame a leadoff homer by Trea Turner to shut down the Phillies. The left-hander allowed one run on three hits and one walk before exiting after six innings. Bryce Harper added a solo shot in the ninth inning for Philadelphia.

Brewers 2, Blue Jays 1

Chad Patrick and three relievers combined on a five-hitter, and Milwaukee rallied with two runs in the eighth inning to snap a six-game losing streak.

Toronto starter Dylan Cease was dominant, allowing two hits over six scoreless innings, striking out six and walking three in a 106-pitch outing. The Blue Jays took an early lead on a sacrifice fly by Jesus Sanchez to score Daulton Varsho.

The Brewers broke through for two runs in the eighth against right-hander Tyler Rogers (1-1). William Contreras delivered an RBI single, and Brice Turang’s groundout scored Sal Frelick.

Tigers 2, Royals 1

Wenceel Perez hit a go-ahead eighth-inning home run and host Detroit extended its winning streak to five games with a victory over Kansas City.

Perez’s first homer of the season made a winner of reliever Kyle Finnegan (1-0), who tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Jake Rogers drove in the other run for the Tigers. Gleyber Torres had a three-hit game.

Kyle Isbel’s RBI single accounted for the lone Royals run. Kansas City has scored two or fewer runs in 11 games this season.

Braves 6, Marlins 3

Bryce Elder threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Atlanta backed him up with three home runs to defeat visiting Miami in the decisive game of a three-game series.

Elder (2-1) allowed four hits and two walks and struck out seven. The Braves got solo home runs from Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley plus a two-run shot from Matt Olson. Raisel Iglesias struck out three while working a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save.

Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer for the Marlins. Chris Paddack (0-3) threw 4 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits.

Rays 8, White Sox 3

Junior Caminero, Jake Fraley and Jonny DeLuca homered to back five shutout innings from Jesse Scholtens and boost visiting Tampa Bay to a victory against Chicago.

The Rays stretched their winning streak to five games while sending the White Sox to their fourth loss in the past five. Scholtens (1-0) permitted one hit in a bulk-relief role.

Reese McGuire, who spent the first eight innings at catcher for Chicago, pitched a perfect ninth inning. He also went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sean Burke (0-2) yielded four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Athletics 6, Rangers 5

Shea Langeliers smashed a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth inning and Jacob Wilson hit a two-run shot one inning later to help the Athletics edge Texas in West Sacramento, Calif.

Tyler Soderstrom had an RBI double while reaching base three times and Denzel Clarke added a run-scoring single as the A’s won for the seventh time in eight games. Joel Kuhnel retired four straight hitters to register his third save of the season.

Jake Burger hit a three-run blast and Corey Seager belted a two-run homer for the Rangers, who lost for the second straight night after winning the opener of a four-game series.

Astros 3, Rockies 1

Spencer Arrighetti struck out 10 batters in his season debut and Yordan Alvarez slugged his seventh home run, as Houston claimed an interleague series victory against visiting Colorado.

Elevated to the taxi squad on Tuesday, Arrighetti (1-0) became the second starter to debut for the Astros in as many days. With Houston down three injured starters, Arrighetti followed Colton Gordon and joined the makeshift rotation after starting the season with Triple-A Sugar Land.

Rockies left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1) allowed three runs on three hits and four walks with one strikeout over 3 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Padres #score #9th #edge #Mariners #extend #win #streak">Deadspin | MLB roundup: Padres score 5 in 9th to edge Mariners, extend win streak to 7 Apr 15, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France, left, dumps a cooler over center fielder Jackson Merrill after he hit a walk-off double during the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. All MLB players are wearing number 42 today to honor Jackie Robinson. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Jackson Merrill’s two-run double capped a five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday night as the San Diego Padres stretched their winning streak to seven games with a wild 7-6 win over the visiting Seattle Mariners. Merrill lined a 2-2 fastball from reliever Jose A. Ferrer down the left field line. Luis Campusano scored the tying run and Ramon Laureano plated the winning run when Randy Arozarena wasn’t able to make a throw home as the ball slipped out of his hand. The hit made a winner of Alek Jacob (1-0), who tossed two scoreless innings in his first major league outing of the year after being called up on Tuesday from Triple-A El Paso. Mariners closer Andres Munoz (2-2) was charged with all five runs in the ninth. Luke Raley had a four-hit game that included a two-run homer. Dodgers 8, Mets 2 Shohei Ohtani struck out 10 in six innings, Dalton Rushing hit a grand slam and Los Angeles pulled off a series sweep with a victory over visiting New York, sending the Mets to their eighth consecutive loss. Hyeseong Kim, Teoscar Hernandez and Kyle Tucker also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who improved to 10-2 since April 3 and 14-4 on the season. Ohtani (2-0) gave up one run, two hits and two walks on a rare pitching outing when he was not also used as a hitter. It was the first time Ohtani did not hit on the same day he pitched since May 2021 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. MJ Melendez had two doubles with an RBI and Clay Holmes (2-2) gave up two runs over five innings for the Mets, who were held to three runs in the three-game series. Francisco Lindor, Luis Robert Jr. and Brett Baty each went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts at the top of the New York order. Yankees 5, Angels 4 Jose Caballero hit a game-ending two-run double with one out in the ninth inning as New York earned a victory over visiting Los Angeles. The Yankees won for the second time in eight games after losing an early 3-0 lead built on an Aaron Judge homer and a two-run single from Trent Grisham. David Bednar (1-2) threw one scoreless inning for the win. Mike Trout hit a two-run homer and Logan O’Hoppe and Adam Frazier added solo shots for the Angels. Trout became the first visiting player to homer in three straight days at Yankee Stadium since Miguel Cabrera did so nearly 13 years ago. Jordan Romano (0-2) allowed the ninth-inning runs. Diamondbacks 8, Orioles 5 (10 innings) Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing, as Arizona won at Baltimore. Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice. Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles. Starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Pirates 2, Nationals 0 Carmen Mlodzinski pitched six shutout innings and led the host Pittsburgh to a three-hit shutout in a victory over Washington. Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales each had RBI singles in the first inning. Mlodzinski (1-0) struck out five, walked two and gave up only two hits. Dennis Santana handled the ninth inning for his second save. Nationals starter Jake Irvin (1-2) went five innings and gave up two runs on four hits. Cardinals 5, Guardians 3 Dustin May tossed six strong innings, and Alec Burleson drove in two runs, fueling St. Louis to a victory over visiting Cleveland. May (2-2) allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts for St. Louis, which won the rubber match of the series. Nathan Church went 3-for-4 with an RBI double. Bo Naylor drove in two runs for the Guardians, who lost for the fourth time in six games. Starter Slade Cecconi allowed one run on three hits in four innings. Connor Brogdon (2-2) relieved Cecconi and surrendered three runs on two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Red Sox 9, Twins 5 Trevor Story hit a three-run home run and drove in five runs to help Boston avoid a three-game sweep with a win over Minnesota. Boston starter Connelly Early (1-0) earned the win for holding the Twins to one run on two hits in six innings; he struck out five and walked two. Andruw Monasterio collected three hits for the Red Sox. Roman Anthony and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each had two hits in the win. Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson (0-3) allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in five innings. Austin Martin and Ryan Kreidler homered for Minnesota, which outscored Boston 19-6 in the first two games of the series. Reds 8, Giants 3 Sal Stewart slugged a pair of three-run homers, Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz each hit solo shots, and Cincinnati beat San Francisco at home. Stewart went deep for the second straight night and has seven homers to lead all rookies. Suarez went 3-for-4, and Spencer Steer had a pair of singles for Cincinnati, which has won three of its last four games. Daniel Susac doubled in two runs and had two hits for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight. Starter Tyler Mahle allowed eight runs and eight hits with five walks over four innings against his former team. Cubs 11, Phillies 2 Nico Hoerner had a career-high five RBIs, and Shota Imanaga matched a personal best with 11 strikeouts, lifting Chicago to a victory over Philadelphia. The Cubs finished with 15 hits to win the decisive contest of the three-game series and record a second straight victory for just the second time this season. Matt Shaw ripped a two-run double, and Dansby Swanson launched a solo homer to highlight their respective three-hit performances. The power surge was more than enough for Imanaga (1-1), who overcame a leadoff homer by Trea Turner to shut down the Phillies. The left-hander allowed one run on three hits and one walk before exiting after six innings. Bryce Harper added a solo shot in the ninth inning for Philadelphia. Brewers 2, Blue Jays 1 Chad Patrick and three relievers combined on a five-hitter, and Milwaukee rallied with two runs in the eighth inning to snap a six-game losing streak. Toronto starter Dylan Cease was dominant, allowing two hits over six scoreless innings, striking out six and walking three in a 106-pitch outing. The Blue Jays took an early lead on a sacrifice fly by Jesus Sanchez to score Daulton Varsho. The Brewers broke through for two runs in the eighth against right-hander Tyler Rogers (1-1). William Contreras delivered an RBI single, and Brice Turang’s groundout scored Sal Frelick. Tigers 2, Royals 1 Wenceel Perez hit a go-ahead eighth-inning home run and host Detroit extended its winning streak to five games with a victory over Kansas City. Perez’s first homer of the season made a winner of reliever Kyle Finnegan (1-0), who tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Jake Rogers drove in the other run for the Tigers. Gleyber Torres had a three-hit game. Kyle Isbel’s RBI single accounted for the lone Royals run. Kansas City has scored two or fewer runs in 11 games this season. Braves 6, Marlins 3 Bryce Elder threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Atlanta backed him up with three home runs to defeat visiting Miami in the decisive game of a three-game series. Elder (2-1) allowed four hits and two walks and struck out seven. The Braves got solo home runs from Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley plus a two-run shot from Matt Olson. Raisel Iglesias struck out three while working a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save. Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer for the Marlins. Chris Paddack (0-3) threw 4 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits. Rays 8, White Sox 3 Junior Caminero, Jake Fraley and Jonny DeLuca homered to back five shutout innings from Jesse Scholtens and boost visiting Tampa Bay to a victory against Chicago. The Rays stretched their winning streak to five games while sending the White Sox to their fourth loss in the past five. Scholtens (1-0) permitted one hit in a bulk-relief role. Reese McGuire, who spent the first eight innings at catcher for Chicago, pitched a perfect ninth inning. He also went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sean Burke (0-2) yielded four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Athletics 6, Rangers 5 Shea Langeliers smashed a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth inning and Jacob Wilson hit a two-run shot one inning later to help the Athletics edge Texas in West Sacramento, Calif. Tyler Soderstrom had an RBI double while reaching base three times and Denzel Clarke added a run-scoring single as the A’s won for the seventh time in eight games. Joel Kuhnel retired four straight hitters to register his third save of the season. Jake Burger hit a three-run blast and Corey Seager belted a two-run homer for the Rangers, who lost for the second straight night after winning the opener of a four-game series. Astros 3, Rockies 1 Spencer Arrighetti struck out 10 batters in his season debut and Yordan Alvarez slugged his seventh home run, as Houston claimed an interleague series victory against visiting Colorado. Elevated to the taxi squad on Tuesday, Arrighetti (1-0) became the second starter to debut for the Astros in as many days. With Houston down three injured starters, Arrighetti followed Colton Gordon and joined the makeshift rotation after starting the season with Triple-A Sugar Land. Rockies left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1) allowed three runs on three hits and four walks with one strikeout over 3 2/3 innings. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Padres #score #9th #edge #Mariners #extend #win #streak

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